1º Issue paper 100409908

Situation of Women in Egyptian Muslim society: Are they a “free society”?

After many years of authoritarian governments in the geographic northern African region called Maghreb, 2011 was a watershed for the history of some countries.  Beginning in Tunisia, uprisings of dissenting people spread to neighboring countries such as Libya, Yemen, Syria or Egypt. Whereas some of them did succeed in the establishment of new governments, others did not. Being strategically located, these countries captured the whole world’s eyes on them. 

Even though western countries -EEUU and the ancient European metropolis of these African countries- have a discourse pro-democratic government, it didn’t prevent them from having good relations with these countries’ presidents. When the unrests came to an incontrollable level, they bet for citizens and went for even better benefits.  However, they thought change in human rights was on the way as well. Even though that part in the African continent professes Islam, previous regimens had had good connections with their western counterparts and giving to their citizens some patrons of western values. With the intention of exporting western democratic values and to maintain good ties with these strategic and petroleum producer countries, the first world supported rebels to overthrow their presidents.  Everybody was pleased with the first results but waiting in great expectation. Did new presidents fulfill the implied conditions of this invisible contract? In order not to superficially explain each country situation I will focus on Egypt and go deeper in the Muslim woman to explain the first world’s dissatisfaction with their debtors.

First at all, nobody expected a Muslim party to win the presidential polls, and when that indeed happed in Egypt, West hesitated over what to do, but they kept on waiting for clearer signs. And they did come.  If it is true that Egyptian women’s rights were limited before, it is also true that some advances have been done since the Muslim Brotherhood seized the power. But, is that advance for western countries considered an advance in Egypt? Egypt, can a country which population is mainly Muslim be satisfied with that policies? And if not, as I argue, what is Egyptian expecting from the new government? The good governance has  to be measured trough the support and satisfaction of the citizens. And what really matters is to give every society what it is willing to. But, what if the anhelo of that society is not compatible with first world expectations? How are people reacting with these western values based policies?

This big contradiction is bringing troubles to the plans were already drawn up. As well as being the first democratically elected, Mohamed Morsi is the first Egypt’s Islamist president. That fact makes that 90% of citizens –Muslims- sympathize with him and empower him to move toward a more independent position. Is that plausible?

Electronic sources:

1. Green, D. (2011, february 17). What caused the revolution in Egypt? The Guardian. Retrieved  september 25, 2012 from http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/feb/17/what-caused-egyptian-revolution

2. Ramdani, N. (2012, june 4). Egyptian women: "They were doing better under Mubarak". The Guardian. Retrieved 2012, september 25 from http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/04/egyptian-women-better-under-mubarak